New Year Plans
by EsmeAmelia
Summary: Han and Luke get together and make plans for the new year.


AN: I don't own Star Wars, but I hope you're having a Happy New Year so far!

"New Year Plans"

By EsmeAmelia

No matter how drunk Han was when the new year rolled around, he never forgot to meet Luke at their favorite bar after the midnight celebrations had wound down. The bartender even reserved their booth in the far corner, between the music player and a window with a view of the speeders outside. By now the night's festivities were winding down and most people had gone home to sleep off the celebration – the only other bar patrons were a couple of women swaying to the music at the front table.

Luke was already there, giving Han that boyish grin that he still had yet to outgrow. "So, another year behind us," he said as Han slid into the seat across from him. "What are your plans for the new year?"

"Besides potty-training Ben?" Han shrugged. "Dunno, really."

The Wookiee waiter brought them their traditional bottle of Corellian whiskey and two shot glasses while wishing them happy new year. Luke and Han returned the greeting and once the waiter left, Han filled the shot glasses with the amber liquid. "So," he asked, "what're _your_ plans for the new year?"

Luke gazed down into his whiskey. "Well, maybe this will be the year when I can get the Jedi school opened."

A bit of an awkward silence followed as Han too looked down into his whiskey. It had been difficult for Luke to get funding for restarting the Jedi – the Republic wasn't too keen on the idea given that it was a Jedi who had assisted Palpatine in bringing down the previous Republic. "Well," Han muttered, "if this _is_ that year, Ben's too young to be a Jedi."

He half-expected Luke to say something like, "the old Jedi Order wouldn't think so," even though Luke had promised that he wouldn't take babies away from their parents like the old Order did.

"I know," Luke replied instead. "Han, you know I won't force him to become a Jedi if he doesn't want to."

"Well, you know I'm gonna hold you to that," said Han.

Luke grinned. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He raised his glass. "So, what should we drink to other than the new year?"

"Well, there's always our family," said Han, raising his own glass. He said "family" in the singular since they were all one family, though he still hoped that one day Luke would settle down and have his own family. It would probably do the kid some good to find a soulmate and have some kids of his own.

"That's good," said Luke. "We can drink to our friends too."

"Kay," said Han. The brothers-in-law clinked their glasses, making a reassuring ping. "To family and friends."

"And peace," Luke added. "Hopefully this year the Republic will have successful negotiations with the planets still loyal to the Empire."

"I'll drink to that," said Han, clinking his glass against Luke's again. "Hopefully the galaxy won't be at war again when Ben's old enough to fight in it." He downed his shot and immediately poured some more whiskey. "While we're at it, let's drink to Leia not bein' so overworked this year."

"Good idea," said Luke as they clinked their glasses again.

Han downed the whiskey, savoring the familiar burn it gave his throat as he looked out the frosty window. The chill from outside slightly brushed his face as he gazed out at the speeders going this way and that as a gentle wave of snow fell.

"So," said Luke, "will Chewie be picking us up again?"

"Yup," said Han. "He ain't gonna let either of us drive drunk."

Luke chuckled. "Where would you be without him?"

"Probably dead," Han said as he poured them each another shot. "In fact, _definitely_ dead, since if it weren't for him I'd have probably been fed to some other 'beast' that wasn't friendly."

"Then let's raise an extra glass to Chewie," said Luke.

"Good idea." Han and Luke clinked their glasses again.

After they drank, Luke narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he were either starting to feel the effect of the alcohol or about to ask Han a serious question – or possibly both. "But seriously, Han, you've got to have _some_ plans for the new year other than just potty-training Ben."

"Hey, potty-training ain't as easy as it looks. If you ever have a kid, you'll understand," Han said in a mock-offended voice.

"But don't you have _any_ other plans?" Luke persisted, wearing that grin that had somehow remained boyish even after all they'd been through.

Han shrugged, pouring another round of shots. "Well, guess there's always lookin' up my parents."

Luke froze in mid-drink. "I thought your parents were dead."

"Well, yeah, but . . . you know." He suddenly took an interest in staring down into the amber liquid. "I remember them, but . . . every year those memories get dimmer. Maybe one day I'll be tryin' to tell Ben about his grandparents and I'll realize that I forgot everything about 'em."

"What do you remember?" Luke asked gently.

Han shrugged again, his throat suddenly dry despite having just been moistened with whiskey. "Well, you know about how Dad worked in a starship factory. I remember him takin' me there and showin' me around the ships and tellin' me about how one day we'd get a ship of our own and fly away." He let out a long exhale, blinking in order to keep moisture in his eyes. "Maybe he even built the Falcon, who knows? Mom worked in some factory too, but I don't think she ever took me to work with her. They'd fight, sometimes, but I think it was mostly cause they were worried about me and my future." He slowly raised his head back up to look at his brother-in-law. "Mom would hold me in her lap and tell me not to worry, but I think she was really tellin' _herself_ that."

Luke's breath was audible, coming in and out of his nose in little pants.

Maybe the alcohol had loosened Han's tongue or maybe he just felt comfortable telling Luke these things, but whatever the reason, he wanted to keep talking. "So anyway, you know how you and Leia researched your mom and found out that you had a living aunt and cousins? Maybe I've got living relatives somewhere too, I dunno." He sighed. "I wouldn't know where to start, though. I've only got first names – Rya and Jaron – if I had a last name before that Imperial guy gave me the name Solo, I sure as hell don't remember it." He sighed again before downing his shot. "Honestly, sometimes it's hard to remember what they even _looked_ like."

Luke was staring as if he'd forgotten how to blink. "Well . . . maybe Leia could access old Corellian databases."

"Maybe," Han said in a doubtful voice. "Doubt the Empire kept good records of the starship factory employees, though. It ain't like my parents were senators or Jedi or anyone important."

Luke gulped as he poured another round of shots. "It's still worth trying, though. I'd say that's a great plan for the new year." He raised his glass. "Come on, how about another toast to family? Family that's with us _and_ family that lives on in our memories?"

Han gave a half-grin as he raised his glass. "All right." They clinked their glasses. "Here's to family and to memories of family and hopin' those memories don't get forgotten."

Luke smiled at his brother-in-law. "They won't. I'm sure of it."

THE END


End file.
